UK govt issues first response after Vladimir Putin renews Ukraine war; makes massive claim

Putin's "breaking of promises" not to mobilise people in Russia and "illegal annexation" of Ukrainian territory demonstrate that Russian "invasion is failing", asserted UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace. In a statement issued in response to Russian President Vlimir Putin's announcement regarding partial mobilization in Russia, Wallace on Wednesday stated that Putin and Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu's decision has "sent thousands of ir citizens to ir deaths."

"President Putin’s breaking of his own promises not to mobilise parts of population and illegal annexation of parts of Ukraine are an mission that his invasion is failing. He and his defence minister have sent tens of thousands of ir own citizens to ir deaths, ill-equipped and bly led," Wallace said in a statement. 

Stressing that no amount of threats and propaganda can hide fact that Ukraine is winning this war,  he said international community are united and "Russia is becoming a global pariah". Ben Wallace's response comes after Russian President Putin in his dress to nation announced a partial mobilization in Russia. Putin issued statement a day after Russian-occupied regions in eastern and sourn Ukraine announced ir plans to hold a referendum on joining Russia. 

Tony Brenton, former UK ambassor to Russia, has termed Putin's partial mobilization announcement a "pretty significant escalation" of war with Ukraine. Speaking to Sky News, Brenton emphasised that Russia did not earlier mobilise as "Putin was worried about effect on Russian public opinion." He claimed that Putin has listened to vice of military and issued a statement regarding "nuclear threat in context of alleged nuclear threats from West." Tony Brenton termed Putin's statement a "very significant step up in rhetoric that is going on." 

US terms mobilization as 'signs of weakness & Russian failure'

Meanwhile, US Ambassor to Ukraine, Bridget A Brink has termed Putin's announcement regarding mobilization as "signs of weakness and Russian failure." She underscored that US will not consider Russia's claim to annex Ukrainian territory and will continue to support Ukraine. Earlier on 20 September, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken h said, "If Russia does stage se sham “referenda”, United States and international community will never recognise Russia’s claims to any purportedly-annexed parts of Ukraine. We continue to stand with people of Ukraine."

Image: AP